Priapism - what is it? Prolonged painful erection not related to sexual arousal: causes and treatment

Priapism in men is a rare and serious disease that few have heard of, but no one is immune from it. What is characterized and on what grounds it can be recognized, everyone should know in order to identify the disease in a timely manner.

Definition

The disease is an emergency condition that requires urgent medical care, in addition to the narrow profile. It occurs only in the stronger sex and is characterized by the presence of a long, often more than 4 hours, non-stop and painful erection. This feeling is not associated with sexual arousal. He doesn’t tolerate even a minute of delay; the sooner the patient is helped, the more chances there are for his recovery and resumption of the functions of the penis.

Most often, this pathology occurs in men with sickle cell anemia, as well as those who use the means that increase potency. A prolonged painful erection is often observed in young guys, but no one is immune from it.

Classification

The disease can be divided into certain categories, on which the treatment and speed of recovery depend:

1. Non-ischemic priapism occurs in cases when a very large amount of arterial blood enters the male organ, which cannot go backwards. As a result, the penis is filled with it, which leads to an erection. Most often, the main cause may be injury to the perineum.
2. Ischemic priapism occurs with a poor blood supply to the penis. With all this, venous blood is not well moving away from him. Pathology occurs after diseases such as anemia, leukemia, neuropathy, and malignant lesions. Not in each case, you can determine the cause of the disease.
3. Intermittent nocturnal priapism is characterized by a brief erection during sleep, which proceeds with severe pain.In the initial stage of the disease, the problem appears quite rarely, once every 10 days, but over time, the pathology begins to worsen. Such surges further disturb sleep several times a day. After urination and vigorous action, the erection weakens or completely goes away.

This is also observed in children. Sometimes the boys, after they wake up, notice this state in themselves, but the child cannot understand the reasons for the situation that has arisen; his parents first need to pay attention to it in time to provide medical assistance.

Who develops priapism

Not everyone knows what it is, but if a disease is destined to appear, it must be treated by a specialized specialist. Most often observed in children from 7-10 years and in men from 25-50. It should be noted that the phenomenon is considered to be quite rare. In the world, literally 0.2% of the representatives of the stronger sex suffer from this problem.

Causes

Experts strongly recommend to consult a doctor if an erection lasts about 4 hours and there is severe pain.

The basis of development is a violation of blood flow in the cavernous bodies of men.Most often this is observed after suffering serious diseases:

- problems with the circulatory system (leukemia, sickle cell anemia);
- neurological injuries and tumors of the spinal cord and brain, the consequences of head injuries, multiple sclerosis;
- intoxication (drugs, poisons, alcohol);
- damage to the pelvic organs, perineum and genitals.

All this can cause a disease like priapism. The reasons for its occurrence are different, but the outcome is always the same, it is imperative that you seek the help of doctors, as you can lose male activity.

Symptoms

As a rule, an erection occurs suddenly, most often at night, and is accompanied by severe pain. Such attacks are characterized by short-term stress. After the cessation of sleep and emptying of the bladder, this condition subsides.

The malaise during an attack depends on the degree of filling of the blood bodies. After all is localized at the root of the penis and moves into the perineum, sometimes swelling may occur. The duration of this disease varies from several hours to a month.Night priapism is a condition that is not associated with excitement at all. Sexual intercourse does not end with ejaculation and does not bring satisfaction, but only significantly increases the pain. This pathology greatly complicates defecation and urination.

Physical examination

Special studies are conducted to identify symptoms that indicate disease and provoke priapism. Everyone knows that this is a difficult complication for a man, since inexplicably the temperature starts to rise and the general condition leaves much to be desired. At the time of the survey, the tension can be felt only in the cavernous bodies, and in the head it is completely absent. During the inspection, the presence of malignant tumors is sometimes detected. On palpation of the pelvis and abdomen are signs of impaired venous outflow. Diagnosis of the rectum and prostate gland will help determine the consistency and size of clots. Attention is also paid to the tone of the sphincter and to the presence or disappearance of the bulbocavernosal reflex.

Neurological examinations of the perineum,external genital organs and lower extremities include the study of skin and tendon reactions, muscle strength and sensitivity, the perception of vibration and temperature. Legs are required to be examined to detect signs of swelling and thrombophlebitis, because the blockage of the veins also affects the occurrence of the disease.

Laboratory research

Diagnosis is carried out using ESR and blood tests, which indicate the presence of primary leukemia and thrombocythemia. Malignant, inflammatory and toxic processes can be diagnosed. Biochemical and serological tests are prescribed to exclude the presence of syphilis. If at the time of taking the history it was revealed that the patient was taking an anticoagulant or that he had a bleeding syndrome, then a coagulogram is required. In the case when there is a suspicion of drug use, a test is made for their content in the blood. To identify possible urinary tract infections, the patient is prescribed a urine test. Representatives of the Negroid race are at risk because of their predisposition, they need to pass a smear and undergo an electrophoretic study of hemoglobin protein.

The type of pathology is determined by laboratory blood sampling, after which the necessary drugs are discharged. The analysis is taken from the penis with a needle. And also a preliminary diagnosis can be made in appearance, ischemic is characterized by a dark color, and not ischemic - bright red.

Therapy

If, after sex, an erection continues for several hours in a row or when the excited state begins, pain in the penis begins and the man is unable to end sexual intercourse, then this is a serious reason to consult a doctor, as priapism can be diagnosed. What this is, the doctor knows, and he will prescribe the correct therapy.

At the initial stage of treatment is carried out exclusively by conservative methods. A cold water bottle is laid on the penis, or a special needle removes accumulation of blood directly from it. This procedure should be carried out with local anesthesia. Then the therapy is carried out with saline. If after the development of the pathology has passed no more than a day, then it is required to use the stopping components. These include drugs such as "Phenylephrine" or "Mezaton."

After determining the cause, it is necessary to completely eliminate it, and further treatment is carried out comprehensively.

With repeated ailments or when therapy does not bring its results for a long time, surgical intervention is necessary. For this, blood is removed from the male organ and new opportunities are created for its outflow. If the doctor knows how to treat priapism, then he will help to completely get rid of the problems and preserve the sexual functions of the man.

Prevention

Are there any restrictions in food, are interested in a large number of patients who have been made such a diagnosis. There are no special diets, but to reduce protein intake of animal origin and fat will not interfere. And you also need to revise your habits, you should give up alcohol and smoking, as this could be one of the reasons that provoked priapism. What is a condition in which you need to protect your genital organ from possible injuries is known to all qualified specialists, therefore, by changing the standard way of life, you can improve your well-being.

Effects

Complications after pathology are very dangerous.First of all, this disease threatens the production of thrombosis, which are formed as a stagnant phenomenon in the cavernous bodies of the penis.

As well as the restoration of potency after priapism can be difficult. The most terrible consequence is gangrene of the penis - this is the state when its damaged parts are torn off due to the dying off of the flesh. The only way out of this situation is the operation to amputate the organ. It is also considered very important to prevent blood contamination, because it can be fatal.

Children

Fortunately, the child is not so often exposed to this disease. It occurs in those who have diseases such as sickle cell disorder of erythrocytes and leukemia. This is increasingly fraught with blood stasis, which, in turn, provoke oxygen starvation. As a result, erythrocyte clumping may occur, which further aggravates the situation and causes priapism. So at the slightest suspicion of such a child’s illness, it is imperative that you show the specialist.